[La Concepción (Hist. de Philipinas, vi, pp. 89–113) blames the Jesuits for the loss of Formosa—alleging, as grounds for this, their desire to monopolize the missions to China, to which Formosa was a stepping-stone for other orders; and their resentment against the friars (especially the Dominican Morales) for accusing them at Rome of undue laxity and conformity to heathen observances (in the noted controversy over the “Chinese rites”). To this end, he thinks, they exerted their influence with Corcuera, inducing him to neglect Formosa and to send his troops to Mindanao, where the missions were in charge of the Jesuits.]
[1] The Dutch governor in Formosa at this time was Paulus Traudenius; his letter (dated August 26, 1641) to the Spanish governor Portillo, demanding the surrender of the Spanish forts, and Portillo’s answer thereto, are given in Valentyn’s Oud en nieuw Oost Indien, deel iv, stuk ii, on pp. 72, 73 of a section entitled “Beschryvinge van Tayouan, of Formosa,” which covers 93 pages. Both are given in English translation in Davidson’s Formosa, p. 21.
[2] This Spanish establishment was at Kelung, on the northern coast of Formosa; the fort seems to have been located on an island in Kelung Bay (now called Palm Island by the Europeans resident there). The shores of the bay are precipitous, formed by a mountain range; and the lookout station (la Mira) seems to have been placed on one of these heights. (See Reseña biográfica, i, p. 421, note; Murray’s Handbook of Japan, p. 538.)
Tan-chuy is now Tamsui. “‘The old Dutch fort’ with its walls of nearly eight feet of masonry and lime still commands the port of Tamsui, as firm and solid and as imposing as when built two hundred and fifty years ago.” In the French bombardment of 1884 “the shells did no damage and scarcely left a mark on the noble structure.” (Davidson, Formosa, p. 23.)
[3] Spanish retirada; a part of the fort which is made especially strong, and well supplied with provisions, into which the garrison may retreat for their final stand; it may be translated also “stronghold” or “citadel.”
[4] The governor-general at this time of the Dutch possessions in the Orient was Antonio Van Diemen; his term of office was from January 1, 1636, to his death, April 19, 1645. A sketch of his life, with portrait, is found in Valentyn’s Oud en nieuw Oost-Indien, deel iv, pp. 293–295.
[5] This man, the successor of Traudenius, was Maximilian le Maire; he remained in the post of governor of Formosa only one year, 1643–44.
[6] The Dominicans sent to Batavia were: Fray Teodoro Quirós de la Madre de Dios, Fray Pedro de Chaves, Fray Juan de los Angeles, and two lay brethren (one of whom, Pedro Ruiz del Rosario, died at Batavia). With them were sent also some Franciscans who had a house at Tai-wan. (Reseña biográfica, i, p. 421.)